Amy Reece's Blog, page 7
May 23, 2016
3 Mistakes that Will Make Readers Want to Punch a Book in the Face
Such a great post! It’s making me do some HARD thinking about my work-in-progress. Thanks, Kristen!
To do my job well, I do a tremendous amount of reading. Additionally, I make it a point to make sure I read different genres so I get a sense of what writers do well (or not so well) regardless of the type of story.
I’ve been inhaling Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series as of late and I got ahead of my credits so I decided instead to take advantage of Audible’s Daily Deal. It was a suspense from a legacy published author. The book had almost a thousand reviews and almost all of them four and five stars. So I figured, why not?
Take a chance.
Shoot. Me. Now.
That was me.
The book was absolutely awful. I won’t say which book because I won’t do that to another author. I have a personal rule. If I can’t give a book 4 stars or more I just shut up…
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Blog Tour: Cheerleading Can Be Murder by Carissa Ann Lynch
Cheerleading Can Be Murder
by Carissa Ann Lynch
Release Date: April 5th 2016
Limitless Publishing
Summary from Goodreads:
Getting on the cheerleading squad is hard enough without a psycho on the loose…
For Harrow High freshman Dakota Densford, life should be easy. All she has to worry about is talking to cute boys and remembering her locker combination. But when cheerleading tryouts draw near, she learns the cards are stacked against her—spots on the varsity team are limited. Dakota faces her competition head-on, but when her life is threatened, that takes the competition to a whole new level.
High school is never easy, and freshman year is off to a rough start…
Between Dakota’s uniform being ripped up and masked vandals trashing another girl’s house, everyone is suspect. To complicate matters further, Dakota has a thing for Andy McGraw, but she finds him locking lips with another girl.
The harassment continues, and when Dakota finds suspicious flyers inside her best friend’s locker, she doesn’t know what to think. The principal’s unfeeling, overachiever daughter, Brittani Barlow, will do anything to secure her place on the team. But Dakota’s neighbor, on the other hand, definitely fits the profile of a sociopath.
Cheerleading has become a game of life or death.
Buy Links:
Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Amazon UK│Amazon CA│Amazon AU│Books a Million
About the Author 
Besides my family, my greatest love in life is books. Reading them, writing them, holding them, smelling them…well, you get the idea. I’ve always loved to read and never considered myself a “writer” until a few years ago when I couldn’t find a book to read and decided to try writing my own story. With a background in psychology, I’ve always been a little obsessed with the darker areas of the mind and social problems so I try to channel all of that into my writing. I’m the author of the Flocksdale Files trilogy, the Horror High series, Grayson’s Ridge, and This Is Not About Love. I reside in Floyds Knobs, Indiana with my husband, children, and massive collection of books.
Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Amazon
GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blog Tour Organized by:
May 16, 2016
Six Ways To Self-Edit & Polish Your Prose
Short and sweet! Good reminders for ALL of us, especially ME! Thanks, Kristin!
Whether you are new to writing or an old pro, brushing up on the basics is always helpful. Because no matter how GOOD the story is? If the reader is busy stumbling over this stuff, it ruins the fictive dream and she will never GET to the story. So today we are going to cover six ways to self-edit your fiction. Though this stuff might seem like a no-brainer, I see these blunders ALL the time.
….unfortunately even in (legacy) published books.
When I worked as an editor, I found it frustrating when I couldn’t even GET to the story because I was too distracted by these all too common oopses.
There are many editors who charge by the hour. If they’re spending their time fixing oopses you could’ve easily repaired yourself? You’re burning cash and time. Yet, correct these problems, and editors can more easily get to the MEAT…
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May 13, 2016
Making Fiction Come Alive! Using the Senses for Maximum Impact
So much good stuff here!
Today’s post once again is by my Writer-in-Residence Alex Limberg. After 10 posts, I’m slowly running out of witty introductions for him. But hey, if you haven’t checked out his free ebook yet, definitely go ahead and do it now. It will equip you with ‘44 test questions’ to examine your story and make it all-around tight and intriguing. This time, Alex shows us how to describe senses, so your reader feels like he is in the middle of your story. Go, Alex!
***
Do you know 5D-cinemas?
I mean these movie theatres that make your chair bump harshly, whip your ankles, and when somebody on the screen sneezes, it sprinkles your face… Yeah, they are basically legal torture chambers people pay entry for.
Why are they such a fun experience for many?
It’s because these theatres feel more real than your ordinary cinema. And…
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May 12, 2016
Join Me at the Carolina BookFest 2016!!!
Book Signing
Carolina Book Fest is a book signing taking place
in the Queen City of Charlotte, North Carolina on October 15, 2016. The book signing
will be held at the Marriott City Center in downtown Charlotte from 10am
until 3pm.
This is the perfect opportunity to meet over 100 bestselling authors from all genres! You can find more information on the Marriott by going here.
Monster Mash (After Party)
Join us at 7:30pm back at the Marriott for
our Monster Mash! We will be throwing an epic after party to end our night!
Dress in your best costume and get ready to mingle with authors and readers!
A cash bar will be provided at the party.
Admission Prices
Book Signing: $15
Book Signing & After Party: $25
If you are interested in purchasing tickets
to attend Carolina Book Fest 2016, they can be purchased here: http://bit.ly/carolinabookfest2016tickets
Attending Authors
Here is our current list of attending
Carolina Book Fest Authors! Check out http://www.carolinabookfest.com/attending-authors
to learn more about them!
To keep up to date with all things Carolina Book Fest, follow us!
Website: www.carolinabookfest.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/carolinabookfest
Twitter: www.twitter.com/cbfcharlotte
May 9, 2016
How to Create Legendary Villains
I ALWAYS learn so much from Kristin’s blog! Thanks for this great one on villains. I have a lot to think about…
American Horror Story “Freak Show” on FX
This past Saturday I held my Bullies & Baddies class and a couple of the folks posited a really good question worth talking about. How do we write great villains? One of the reasons I love holding this class is that all stories require a core antagonist (who is responsible for generating the story problem in need of resolution), but there are different types of antagonists. All villains are antagonists but not all antagonists are villains.
But since we went there, what goes into creating a truly terrifying villain?
I watch a ton of movies and television series. I also read around three novels a week. I’m always studying, breaking stories apart so that I can understand them better. I do it for my fiction, but also so I can share what I learn with you guys.
Though the series isn’t for everyone…
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April 28, 2016
SEEKER is 1 Year Old!
It’s the 1-year anniversary of the publication of my first book, SEEKER! Happy Anniversary to ME!
It’s still FREE on amazon, so before you read any farther, you should def skip on over and download it. Who says no to FREE???
So, what have I learned over the past year about writing and publishing? Well, it’s a fascinating tale, so sit back and relax.
I wrote the first draft of Seeker in November 2013—yes, all 74K or so words in 30 days. It was my first NaNoWriMo and I was all in! I was doing it as a project along with my senior English students, so I had to finish. How would it look if the teacher failed to complete 50K words? Now, I had never in my life written a full-on novel, so I was completely clueless. I’m really embarrassed about it now. Plus, I had spent the weeks leading up to Nov. 1 helping prepare my students to write their novels and hadn’t actually given much thought or planning to my own. On Nov. 1, I got the whole class quietly launched on their writing and then sat down in front of my computer. And stared at a blank GoogleDoc. And thought, “Crap. What am I going to write about?” I continued in this vein for about 30 minutes. The mad clicking of computer keys all around me didn’t help at all. Just before utter panic set in, I started thinking about what kind of person I would like to write about. That’s how Jack Ruiz came into being. It’s funny that the entire series (with the small exception of a short scene in book 2) is told from Ally Moran’s point of view, when I actually created Jack first. Once I got started, the book actually flowed pretty fast and I discovered I REALLY LOVE writing. I didn’t know if I would. I mean, how many people think, “I should write a book some day.”? Lots. How many actually DO it? Not as many. And I didn’t know if it would be like so many of my other hobbies (knitting, cross-stitch, stamping, sewing) where I start a lot of projects and get bored and never finish. I shudder to think how many half-finished scarves are lurking around my house, just waiting for someone to come along and breathe life into them. Maybe my mom will finish them for me. Love you, Mommy.
I finished Seeker and promptly started nagging my friends and family to read it. I put it up on SwoonReads and got a few reads. Most importantly, I began the arduous process of revision. I took out some truly cheese-in-a-can scenes and replaced them with some good old-fashioned violence. I went to a writer’s conference and talked to a couple agents. Then I began the looong process of querying my manuscript. My baby, this piece of my soul I had committed to virtual paper. I sent it out into the world. And the rejections started rolling in. Yay! But I kept revising and polishing, even as I started on Book 2.
I eventually got a bit discouraged and decided to self-publish. I changed the title to one I thought was clever and oh-so literary: The Stern and Wild Ones. I decided to title each book in the series using a reference to the literary work that was featured in it. Book 1 featured The Scarlet Letter, hence the lovely title. Book 2 became The Charge of a Star because it was based on King Lear. Book 3 was slotted to become A Spirit Too Delicate (The Tempest). I can’t remember what I was thinking for book 4.
One thing you can say for me: I don’t give up easily. I still kept querying publishers and agents. Imagine my complete and total surprise when, as I was working on book 3, a desktop notification popped up from Limitless Publishing. I opened it, fully expecting yet another politely worded rejection, but saw the magic words: We want to offer you a contract. OMG. I handed the computer to my husband and asked him to read it just to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating. Nope. They actually wanted to publish my book. They offered me a contract for the entire 4-book series!!! Book 4 didn’t even exist yet! They did make it contingent on a change of title, however. I pitched them my original titles: Seeker, Dreamer, Seer, and Oracle. Boom. They liked them and we signed all the paperwork. The next few months were a flurry of revision, editing, blurbs, and cover design. I discovered I love working with an editor—who knew? I didn’t have to do anything with the blurbs or covers except give feedback.
Then on April 28, 2015, my very first book baby was born.
So, here it is: 1 year later. I have published 5 books with Limitless: the 4 in The Seeker Series and a stand-alone YA romantic suspense titled The Way to Her Heart. I have a featured story on Wattpad called Like Wildfire and a work-in-progress called So They Loved, my first foray into adult contemporary romance. It’s picking up some nice steam on Wattpad, so give it a try and let me know what you think! 
I’ve learned a TON this last year about writing, revising, editing, and marketing. And I have so much more to learn! But it’s a great journey and I love it! I have so many fun story ideas rattling around in my brain, so stay with me, people!
To celebrate my anniversary, I will pick 1 lucky reader who comments on this post or on my Facebook page to win a FREE ebook of The Way to Her Heart OR your choice of Book 2, 3, or 4 in The Seeker Series (since Seeker is FREE—did I mention that?) 
I’ll pick a winner
May 5 2016.
Thanks SO MUCH for all your amazing support and encouragement this year! You guys ROCK!!!
Amy
April 27, 2016
Blog Tour: Amber Alert Series by Sara Schoen
AMBER ALERT (Amber Alert Series #1)
**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for ages 17+ due to
violence and sensitive subject matter.
Anna was taken…
Taken from her home to live out a sick game that a guy has been
playing for the last ten years.
With no certainty that anyone is looking for her, and seemingly
hours away from home, she’s forced to play housewife with a man that has had twelve other ‘wives’.
Each of them now dead…
With 12 rules and the obvious exits blocked, from the previous
girls attempts to flee. Is Anna’s only way out to play along and become a
‘loving wife’? Or will she die during the chase?
Would anyone even know what happened to her?
Or would she be labeled as a runaway?
And where is she in the
first place?
ABDUCTED (Amber Alert Series #2)
**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for ages 17+ due to
violence and sensitive subject matter.
Audrey Thomas had been raised by overprotective parents and is sick
of it…
After the kidnapping and recovery of her mother, Anna Cowles,
eighteen years ago, parents had a harsh awakening as they realized any child
could be taken for any reason.
New laws were set in place to protect children, but those same
children ignored the rules and went out of their way to get into trouble.
Audrey has always done what she wanted, no matter what the
consequences were…
But what happens when her choices lead her to being taken by the
one man people feared everyday for the last eighteen years, right up to his
execution.
Will she make it out like her mother did?
Or will she suffer the
fate of the previous twelve girls?
APPREHENDED (Amber Alert Series #3)
**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for ages 17+ due to
violence and sensitive subject matter.
There’s a copycat on the loose…
He’s playing the part of the notorious Steve Bennett, a serial
kidnapper and killer.
Twelve known girls have already been taken from all over the
country, but none have returned. With the orignial house of the mass kidnapper
and murderer destroyed, where is he hiding the girls?
Jessi Sparks is about to find out for herself…
This is the case she’s been waiting for, and she won’t let it
slip through her fingers. She will risk everything to finally put an end to
mass kidnappings.
But will she be risking
her own life?
Amber Alert: http://amzn.to/1Ry2gMz
Abducted: http://amzn.to/1WGChk6
Apprehended: http://amzn.to/1UDAn5V
“No! Andy…please!”
I was roughly shoved into the back of a black car. The door slammed shut, the front door opened soon after and he got in. There was a click, as the car was locked. He threw the car into forward, and took off at an insane speed leaving everyone I knew and cared for behind.
I watched in terror as trees whizzed by, leaving the familiar surroundings behind as the road went from pavement to dirt and the buildings were replaced with large trees and fallen branches. I didn’t know where we were going, but I wanted to go home. The locks wouldn’t budge; the child safety lock prevented my escape the moment he had locked me in this god-forsaken car. I had lost my phone in the struggle, and I was stuck in here.
There were scratch marks and dark spots on the seat. It looked as though someone had tried to claw their way out and I couldn’t blame them. Every hair on my neck were standing on end with fear blazing through me. My throat was sore from the screaming, but all the drivers had ignored my pleas for help. They simply kept driving without another sideways glance in my direction.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked again, my voice hoarse from the screams and crying. It was answered the same way, with silence that slowly crept in and made me shudder.
“Shut up!’
“Where are we going?”
“Be a good girl and take orders. Now shut up!”
I wished more than anything to be back at home and under my bed, away from him. The road turned to gravel as we came upon a rundown house, its shudders were falling of the hinges, but what caught me was the windows were boarded up. To prevent escape, I felt a shiver travel up my spine as the car came to a slow stop.
He got out of the car and didn’t unlock the doors until he was at the door. That small click would have brought me relief at any point in the car ride other than now. I pushed against the other side of the car as he reached one long hand in and grabbed me by my ankle and roughly yank me out of the car on to the gravel. A scream ripped through my throat as the gravel cut into my skin and my head hit the side of the car.
“Get up!” he ordered. My head was spinning from everything that had happened, but when I didn’t move, he moved me.
His hand grabbed take a large chunk of my hair before he lifted me out of the car, ignoring my cries of pain. He roughly dragged me to the house, I couldn’t get my feet to walk and fell often.
The door was solid, he had to slam his body against the wooden blockade and force it open. There was a creak as it slowly opened from his blows, and he threw me inside onto the hardwood floor. There was no carpet, anywhere It would be possible to hear every step from anywhere in the home. The house was bare to the bones, the walls held no photos or phones, rooms remained empty of furniture unless it was bolted to the ground. A new wave of fear ripped through me in realization that he had done this before, he had taken precautions for it.
Sara Schoen began writing in middle school, but did not officially dedicate herself to writing until high school when encouraged by her writing partner. Before then, Sara had not thought about trying to publish her works because it seemed unlikely that anyone would take a chance on someone so young. Despite her previous thoughts, she published her first book, Amber Alert, at the age of nineteen, and began rewriting and editing a spy series that she spent years writing when she was younger. With a lot of hard work and determination, now that same series, which is close to her heart, is a bestseller.
Sara is a Biology Major with a minor in Environmental Science and a minor in Spanish at James Madison University, and spends her time writing, studying, and ghost hunting.
While writing is a great hobby that turned into a passion to share with others,
school is her priority.
Throughout her publishing journey, Sara has had an amazing support system from her family,
friends, and significant other, who were with her every step of the way. She hopes to continue to write, and wants to inspire others to reach for their dreams no matter how far they may seem. She truly believes that dreams can come true at any age, if you put in effort and chase after what you want.
Social media links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1VzRftS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSaraSchoen/
Twitter: @SaraNSchoen
Website: https://schoentheworld.wordpress.com
Instagram:
@Stolen_Glances
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9790618.Sara_Schoen
Sara Schoen
Guarded Secrets Series
Suicide Mission (FREE): http://amzn.com/B011B1JMBY
Covert Operations: http://amzn.com/B0172DGCE0
Left for Dead: http://amzn.com/B01AKV9H8O
Waking Up Blank: http://amzn.com/B00YTB0EZM
Sara Schoen and Taylor Henderson
The Dying Game: http://amzn.com/B00SU83M68
Deadly Hallows: http://amzn.com/B01BI3ZQA6
Bad Publicity: http://amzn.com/B00VUCLQWI
a Rafflecopter giveaway
April 1, 2016
Raining Down Rules by BK Rivers
Purchase your eBook copy now and have it loaded on your Kindle faster than you can do the dishes! ‘Cuz let’s face it—reading is just WAY more fun!
Book Blurb:
Jemma Bowers hasn’t kissed anyone in over a thousand days. She knows—she’s counted.
For twenty-year-old Jemma, rules are not meant to be broken…even if she’s the one who created them. Friendships have boundaries, relationships mean trouble, and don’t even get her started on sex. Haunted by the death of her mother and her father’s abandonment, Jemma finds herself hungry for something meaningful and permanent, but is afraid ofwhat may happen if she pursues it.
Jordan Capshaw can’t fight his addiction. Not even if it will cost him his career…
When Jemma finds Jordan drunk and barefoot in the street, she convinces him to get inher car. Aside from the fact he’s the lead singer of her favorite band and pretty much the rock star of her dreams, she quickly realizes his addiction is a monster neither of them can control.
Who knew choosing between a rock star and a fireman could be so difficult?
Emotions run high as Jemma soon finds herself caught between the troubled rock star and her growing affections for Vic Harper, a swoon-worthy firefighter from her past. But when her grandmother passes away, leaving her with no other family, Jemma’s world falls apart.
To save herself from further heartbreak, she risks it all by breaking her own rules, and putting her heart on the line.
After all, the heart just might be the biggest rule breaker of them all.
What the reviewers are saying:
5 STARS: Jaime from Once Upon a Twilight
“Raining Down Rules is fantastic! I couldn’t put it down. It was a fast, easy
and entertaining read. I didn’t know what Jemma would do next. The fact
that I didn’t know who she would chose had me going crazy! This is a
great love story everyone should read.”
5 STARS: Vera from Vera is Reading
“Loved Raining Down Rules!!! Raining Down Rules is a captivating
book with an incredible story. It is very emotional and has lots of
drama, but also very sexy scenes. I loved that the story was told from
different POVs. B.K. Rivers wrote a fantastic book, with an amazing
story and awesome characters. Raining Down Rules is a fast and easy read
that you’ll not be able to put down. can’t wait to read Jordan’s
story!”
5 STARS: Danielle S.
“I absolutely love love love this book!! I definitely couldn’t put it
down! Even the times that I had to put it down I found myself thinking
about the story and how it was going to progress! I absolutely fell in
love with the characters, and am so happy with how it ended, but i am
definitely hoping that the story will continue! It definitely touched on
a lot of my emotions, and i love that with a story.”
5 STARS: Amazon Customer
It’s exactly what I was looking for: a nice romance to read in one night.
4.5 STARS: Tami, 1-click addict
“This was a well thought out and well written contemporary romance from an
author I have never heard of before. I look forward to reading more of her things in the future.”
And don’t forget to enter to win your chance at winning a $10 Amazon gift card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author
BK Rivers grew up riding through rolling fields of grain onhorseback, driving hay trucks and catching frogs in a silver creek. She traded country life for the big city when she married the love of her life, but the heart always returns to the country.
BK, her husband and three children live in the Phoenix suburbs on their own mini farm surrounded by crowing roosters and the low
nicker of horses. When she’s not writing, she can be found baking anything sweet, in fact it’s been said her brownies are so good they save marriages.
The inspiration for her novels comes in many forms, but mostly from her Gotye channel on Pandora. She writes young adult and new adult novels to the beat of Gotye, Snow
Patrol and many others.
Book Tour & Review: Competing with the Star
COMPETING WITH THE STAR
by Krysten Lindsay Hager
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: March 22, 2016
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
– SYNOPSIS –
Hadley Daniels’s life seems perfect…
Before the beginning of sophomore year of high school, Hadley and her family move to a beautiful beach town, where she makes amazing new friends and lands the boyfriend of her dreams—Nick Jenkins. He’s the kind of guy every girl swoons over, and it isn’t long until Hadley discovers some are still swooning.
A famous ex-girlfriend makes matters more complicated…
After some time dating, Hadley and Nick form a deep bond. But insecurity sets in when Hadley discovers her boyfriend once had a huge crush on her friend—who just happens to be the beautiful former teen TV star, Simone Hendrickson.
The past is the past—or so they say…
Hadley confronts Nick, who confesses about his history with Simone. Though he claims to only have eyes for Hadley now, it’s hard to believe—especially when she’s blindsided with the news that Nick and Simone kissed after school.
Now Hadley must determine who is telling the truth. Love, betrayal, friendship…who needs soap opera drama when you’re busy competing with a star?
– PURCHASE –
AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | AMAZON PAPERBACK | B&N PAPERBACK
MY REVIEW:
The second book in the Star Series brings us more insight into the characters and the high school drama they have to suffer. I felt like I was right there with them—Hager has a gift for character voice and nails the angst perfectly. I found myself arguing with the characters, wanting to set Hadley straight numerous times. It’s like Mean Girls, but with much better developed characters. Simone is a wonderful antagonist because we are never quite sure where she stands. Nick is a lovely book boyfriend: handsome, sweet, and kind of clueless.
You could read this alone, but it’s so much better if you read the first book, well, first. They are both a lovely, completely cringe-free read! Highly recommended!
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
– NEXT DOOR TO A STAR, Book 1 –
– EXCERPT –
Two days passed and Nick hadn’t called again. I couldn’t blame him. After all, I had pushed for him to be honest and then had bailed on him. I’m sure he was mad at me for telling him he could tell me the truth and then I punished him for it—and he would be right. I couldn’t handle the icky feelings, and instead of being a big girl and dealing with them, I came home from school and retreated into the world of books. A world where people were kidnapped, jewels were stolen, but nobody’s heart ever got broken because in my favorite series, The Raven Chronicles, Raven’s boyfriend, Fernando, was ever faithful and loyal and would never even look at another girl. He was the perfect book boyfriend. In other words, he was fictional and didn’t exist.
I saw I had a text from Simone. Oh great, maybe she was asking for my blessing to go out with Nick, or if I was still planning to go to Watson High School next year so she could make out with him in a different hallway from my locker.
Simone: Are you mad at me? Nick said you’re upset because you found out he used to like me.
Oh fabulous. He told her the whole gross story. Well, of course he did, seeing as how he was always over with her clique and he could tell the love of his life anything.
– ABOUT THE AUTHOR –
Krysten Lindsay Hager is an obsessive reader and has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and humor essayist, and writes for teens, tweens, and adults. She is the author of the Landry’s True Colors Series and her work has been featured in USA Today and named as Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Teen & Young Adult Values and Virtues Fiction and Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Children’s Books on Values. She’s originally from Michigan and has lived in South Dakota, Portugal, and southwestern Ohio. She received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.LIMITLESS PUBLISHING | WEBSITE | GOODREADS | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOOGLE +
